Blue Train in head-on crash
2005-10-27 05:55
Johannesburg - At least twenty people were injured when the Blue Train and the
Trans Karoo collided, reportedly head-on, at Deelfontein, about
20km south-west of the Karoo town of De Aar just before midnight on
Wednesday.
A Sapa reporter on his way to the scene said emergency personnel
in Colesberg said the injured had been taken to a hospital in De
Aar.
Earlier, Europ Assist's Steve Baynes said ten people were being
evacuated by air from the accident site, including two Japanese
tourists. All had minor injuries.
About 75 passengers were aboard the Blue train at the time and
about 125 aboard the Trans Karoo.
Spoornet spokesperson Molatwane Likhethe confirmed no one was
killed but said only about five people were injured.
Likhethe said the Blue Train was stationary at the time of the
collision and the other travelling slowly.
The accident apparently happened around 23:30 when the Blue
train, which was ahead of schedule, was whiling away time. The
Trans Karoo was apparently diverted onto the same track and the two
collided head-on.
Police from Richmond are on the scene.
The Blue Train is South Africa's premier luxury train and the
Trans Karoo is the flagship Cape to Gauteng train.
A Spoornet team, including Likhethe, left Johannesburg just
after 03:00 by helicopter to visit the scene.
The trade union Solidarity's spokesperson Jaco Marais said a source at the scene had said an undisclosed number of people were trapped in the wreckage.
- SAPA